


Melowyn Lavellan Plays Dress Up

by awesomonster



Series: Melowyn Lavellan Fixes A Very Terrible Thedas, One Person At A Time [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Just a brief mention of Cullen/Inquisitor, Vivienne/Inquisitor Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 06:58:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5154560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesomonster/pseuds/awesomonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little story where Vivienne helps Melowyn prepare for the empress's upcoming Wintersend Ball. Also, Orlesian tailors are bad at keeping their opinions on shoes to themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melowyn Lavellan Plays Dress Up

Vivienne ran her fingers through Melowyn's glossy black curls, holding up a hank in each hand and eying them as if they were fabrics for curtains that she couldn't quite decide on. A tailor was taking the elf's measurements, pausing every so often to conspire with the courtier in low tones. For her part, Melowyn was pliable and according, despite being visibly uncomfortable with the entire affair. It didn't help that she was required to stand on the tallest step stool they could find in only her small clothes so the tailor could more comfortably measure her. It doubly didn't help that the tailor had scoffed loudly at her request for ruffles.

They were in Melowyn's quarters for maximum room and privacy, surrounded by piles of bolts of fabric, all sumptuous and bright and very, very expensive. Though there was a fire going, the doors were open for the best possible lighting and she was freezing but neither of them seemed to care, aside from stern motions to hold still when her shivering got too intense.

"Celene will likely go for a moon theme as she always does," Vivienne was saying to no one in particular, her voice indicating that she was very bored by this, "Silvers, dark blues, crescents. Since our darling Inquisitor here is in every way her opposite, we shall dress her like the sun itself." The tailor began taking rapid notes in a small book he produced from... somewhere, nodding in enthusiastic agreement. "Golds and browns, rich and bold. Perhaps a sunflower theme, so the comparison is not so readily noticed? Then we could incorporate that lovely green of your eyes and your tattoos." It took Melowyn a moment to recognize that Vivienne was addressing her.

"Oh! Um... Won't Celene be upset with me? If I showed up as the sun to her moon?" The tailor began measuring her again, drawing a long piece of thick rope with lines on it around her hips, pulling it away to look at it, then wrapping it around her hips again as if he hasn't believed the first five times he'd measured them. Melowyn tried not to feel affronted. "Or Briala? I doubt she'd appreciate me purposefully complimenting her girlfriend...."

"Of COURSE not, my dear!" Vivienne's voice was full of mirth, "If anything, they'll admire your audacity. Trust me, darling, everyone's eyes will be on you at the Wintersend Ball, to determine if your first success in The Game was a fluke. We must assure them that it was not." She held up a shimmering gold silk that Melowyn had particularly liked and stood back, giving the comparison of elf and silk an appraising look. "Yes, we'll go with sunflowers. A golden silk thread point coupé collar shaped like sunflower petals, topaz and emerald accents. The dress should accentuate your silhouette, rather than hide it. Larger gowns with giant voluminous skirts are in fashion currently and we can't be seen following fashion. We'll put you hair up and hold it in place with a gemstone barrette." She hummed, pleased with her vision. "And we'll dress your Commander in deep reds and russet tones. The golds will match, the browns will be complimentary." The sound of tailor's pencil scratching against the paper furiously filled the silences between words and replies.

Melowyn pursed her lips in mild displeasure. "I wasn't planning on making Cullen go," She said, not bothering to hide her disappointment, "It was going to be my Wintersend gift to him."

But Vivienne's smile was proud and shrewd. "My dear, once he sees you in the gown my tailor will make for you, he'll insist on going. He'd be a fool not to."

Melowyn's gaze fell on the golden silk again, trying to imagine how beautiful the dress would likely be. And then she thought of how beautiful Cullen would likely be in whatever outfit Vivienne and her tailor would come up with for him. "Well..." She murmured, softening to the idea, "I suppose it'd be much more fun with him than without..." Her voice lifted and became firm, "But if you're wrong and he still doesn't want to go, I won't make him."

"Darling, I am never wrong, remember?"

They fell silent as the conversation found a natural lull. The tailor continued to busy himself, accustomed to ignoring such discussions. After a moment, Melowyn spoke up again, soft and curious, "What... did you mean earlier? When you said I was the opposite of Celene?"

"Ah," said Vivienne, "You are, after all, a Dalish elf where she is an Orlesian aristocrat. Not only that, you are dark where she is pale, unrefined where she is poised." She flashed a tight, almost cruel smile as she continued, "Young where she is old, kind where she is ruthless, and earnest where she is distant. As I said, her opposite in every way. And we must exploit that in any way we can." Her smile became softer, more genuine. "Anything can be turned into a tool of The Game, including one's undesirable traits. Perhaps especially those."

Melowyn was taken aback by this reply. "Oh! I didn't realize you had such a low opinion of the empress!"

Vivienne's laugh was melodic. Even the tailor seemed to be stifling a chuckle. "My dear, in Orlais that's all practically as glowing a compliment as one can give. Earnestness and kindness are seen as weak points." She paused, then added with genuine kindness, "Though I would not have you any other way. You may need to navigate The Game from time to time, but I'll not see it change who you are."

It was Melowyn's turn to laugh. "I wouldn't worry, I don't see myself turning Orlesian any time soon. I still don't quite get shoes." This earned her a disapproving yet playful tut from Vivienne and a more disgusted noise from the tailor. "I'll still wear them!" She reassured him, "I just don't see the point of them, that's all." He scoffed again and she chose to ignore it. Instead, she sighed wistfully, "Though I do love those little Orlesian cakes... What are they called, again? Petit four?"

"Then perhaps as a reward for your patience during all of this, I shall take you to my favorite bakery in Val Royeaux the next time we're there. They do a raspberry and dark chocolate one that you would just adore!"

"I'd rather have a dress with ruffles," Melowyn retorted almost immediately, a bright grin on her face, "Shiny gold ones, like Josie's. Though not exactly like Josie's, I suppose..."

Another melodic laugh pealed from Vivienne. "We'll see, darling," Her eyes were sparkling with uncharacteristic delight. "We'll see."

The tailor could only scoff once more in disgust.


End file.
